I'm a rec climber climbing on a budget, so I like to save money where I can.
Throw Bags:
These are easy if you know how to sew and have some lead kicking around. Just trace a bow-tie shape onto some fabric (or trace an existing bag and add 1/2" and mirror it at the bottom), and then at the top leave a long stem to wrap around your ring. Stitch around the outside, invert it, fill with lead and wrap around a ring and stitch it shut. My sewing machine wouldn't do 6 layers of the faux-leather so I crudely hand-stitched it shut.
This is faux-leather that was kicking around the house, it is relatively durable. The ring is really too big for the application but it was what was in the house. For lead, you could get wheel weights or lead shot. I salvged lead gaskets they used to use when nailing tin down on barns. Like many of my creations, they aren't pretty but they work. Total Cost: $0
Grapnel:
Here is a copy of a popular grapnel made from No. 9 fencing wire. I wrapped it in picture wire from the dollar store and hit it with plumbing solder (add flux, heat with torch, apply solder), ground off any sharp edges and taped it up. Took me a good half hour but it works great. Could maybe use some lead to give it more weight but works as-is. Total Cost: $0
Friction Savers:
Conduit friction savers have been covered elsewhere but I'll include this to note a Canadian supplier for the bits. The pieces I purchased look identical to those pictured here: www.flickr.com/photos/eriebuoy/sets/72157594324419552/ This isn't my link and is used without permission but with big thanks to its creator.
I was able to source the proper materials from from Torbram Electric Supply. See www.torbramelectric.com for locations.
LT 3/4 3/4" Flexible Metallic L/T Conduit - My price was $6/meter. The branding on the conduit is "International Hose Co." and I'm going to approximate it has a 4-5" bend radius under load.
WILT180 75 Windsor 3/4" Straight L/T Conn Malleable - My price was $4.77/piece. This is a large connector that contains the "ground cone" that is used for abrasion reduction.
I found that the ground cones had a bit of a sharp edge on the end that is rolled to the inside, so I smoothed it with a dremel.
Total Cost: $17.56 CAD after tax
Harnness Mods:
I climb on a modified rock climbing harness. Before any modifications, it was quite uncomfortable to climb in as-is, so I copied the style of some of the commercial tree harnesses to distribute the weight better. I did not modify or stitch to the original saddle in any way, I simply added to it, thinking that this wouldn't impact its safety performance. My harness is a black diamond momentum, which costs $54 and is much cheaper than a tree climbing harness.
I got some material from an old fall-arrest harness that came with a tree stand (for deer hunting). Most tree stands come with a harness - I think I have 4 or 5 in total so I sacrificed an older one. I took a strap that had a length adjuster in it and wrapped the adjustment loop around the leg strap. I sewed the other end in a loop around the waist strap. This helps distribute some weight to the hips.
Next, I took some foam padding (the kind you put down for cushioning under the feet at the work bench) and cut it into a teardrop shape. I secured it to the inside of the leg loops with zip ties. I got the idea for this material from someone else's homemade harness thread but can't remember where I saw it. I had some extra lying around.
Total cost: $61.02 CAD after tax
Happy building!
Ben
Throw Bags:
These are easy if you know how to sew and have some lead kicking around. Just trace a bow-tie shape onto some fabric (or trace an existing bag and add 1/2" and mirror it at the bottom), and then at the top leave a long stem to wrap around your ring. Stitch around the outside, invert it, fill with lead and wrap around a ring and stitch it shut. My sewing machine wouldn't do 6 layers of the faux-leather so I crudely hand-stitched it shut.
This is faux-leather that was kicking around the house, it is relatively durable. The ring is really too big for the application but it was what was in the house. For lead, you could get wheel weights or lead shot. I salvged lead gaskets they used to use when nailing tin down on barns. Like many of my creations, they aren't pretty but they work. Total Cost: $0
Grapnel:
Here is a copy of a popular grapnel made from No. 9 fencing wire. I wrapped it in picture wire from the dollar store and hit it with plumbing solder (add flux, heat with torch, apply solder), ground off any sharp edges and taped it up. Took me a good half hour but it works great. Could maybe use some lead to give it more weight but works as-is. Total Cost: $0
Friction Savers:
Conduit friction savers have been covered elsewhere but I'll include this to note a Canadian supplier for the bits. The pieces I purchased look identical to those pictured here: www.flickr.com/photos/eriebuoy/sets/72157594324419552/ This isn't my link and is used without permission but with big thanks to its creator.
I was able to source the proper materials from from Torbram Electric Supply. See www.torbramelectric.com for locations.
LT 3/4 3/4" Flexible Metallic L/T Conduit - My price was $6/meter. The branding on the conduit is "International Hose Co." and I'm going to approximate it has a 4-5" bend radius under load.
WILT180 75 Windsor 3/4" Straight L/T Conn Malleable - My price was $4.77/piece. This is a large connector that contains the "ground cone" that is used for abrasion reduction.
I found that the ground cones had a bit of a sharp edge on the end that is rolled to the inside, so I smoothed it with a dremel.
Total Cost: $17.56 CAD after tax
Harnness Mods:
I climb on a modified rock climbing harness. Before any modifications, it was quite uncomfortable to climb in as-is, so I copied the style of some of the commercial tree harnesses to distribute the weight better. I did not modify or stitch to the original saddle in any way, I simply added to it, thinking that this wouldn't impact its safety performance. My harness is a black diamond momentum, which costs $54 and is much cheaper than a tree climbing harness.
I got some material from an old fall-arrest harness that came with a tree stand (for deer hunting). Most tree stands come with a harness - I think I have 4 or 5 in total so I sacrificed an older one. I took a strap that had a length adjuster in it and wrapped the adjustment loop around the leg strap. I sewed the other end in a loop around the waist strap. This helps distribute some weight to the hips.
Next, I took some foam padding (the kind you put down for cushioning under the feet at the work bench) and cut it into a teardrop shape. I secured it to the inside of the leg loops with zip ties. I got the idea for this material from someone else's homemade harness thread but can't remember where I saw it. I had some extra lying around.
Total cost: $61.02 CAD after tax
Happy building!
Ben
